A Hill Country Home Marries Rustic & Refined

After living in a 1960s-era home for 11 years, it was time for a change. With two daughters approaching their teenage years, this Houston family was not only outgrowing their space, but the dated interiors were done.

“It was all very dark wood that was really ‘in’ when we moved in, but as things have lightened up, that house really felt foreboding,” the wife says. “We were drowning–the closets were all full–there wasn’t enough air to breathe.”

They decided to tear the place down and start over with the help of designer Julie Dodson, who “got” the refined-rustic, transitional look they were after.

“They’re not pretentious at all,” Dodson says. “They’re laid back, easy going, not high-maintenance. I wanted that house to be easy, with a casual sophistication.”

The designer spent a year scouring vintage and antique shops along with her decorator resources to fill the new house with French country-inspired furnishings and decor. She also worked with the home’s architects to customize each space to meet the family’s specific needs — from a sideboard on wheels that can be moved into place for a party, to a play room with multiple TVs and plush chaise lounges to settle in for movies and video games.

Above all, the new house is everything the old house was not: open and bright, where entertaining is a breeze, and kids and adults can freely mingle.